The use of consumer electronic devices is pervasive in modern society. Such consumer electronic devices are of many varied constructions, operable to perform many varied functions.
Consumer electronic devices that provide for the effectuation of communication services are exemplary of consumer electronic devices that are widely utilized. Such devices are sometimes referred to as communication stations. The pervasiveness of use of such devices to effectuate communication services has made such devices, at times, seem to be a necessary adjunct of modern society. Such a device communicates, generally, by way of a network infrastructure that, together with the consumer electronic device, defines a communication system.
Network infrastructures of various public-access communication systems have been installed to encompass many populated areas of the world. Paging systems, trunked-radio systems, and cellular communication systems are all exemplary of communication systems of whose networks have been installed to encompass significant populated areas of the world and that have achieved significant levels of usage. Communication by way of any of such communication systems is generally effectuated pursuant to a service subscription. A user subscribes to use of a communication system pursuant to the terms of the subscription. And, the user, utilizing a communication station operable in the appropriate communication system, communicates by way of the communication system to send, or to receive, or both, data thereby to effectuate the communication service.
Many communication stations operable by users are constructed to be of dimensions to permit their hand-carriage by the user. In a cellular communication system, for instance, the communication station typically used by a user is referred to as a mobile station and is of dimensions, typically, to permit its hand-carriage by the user.
Advancements in circuit technologies have permitted the circuitry forming a mobile station, as well as other electronic devices, increasingly to be miniaturized. Efforts are ongoing to provide yet more miniaturization of the electronic circuitry of such electronic devices.
By miniaturizing the electronic circuitry of which an electronic device is formed, the physical dimensions of the housing in which such electronic circuitry is housed, can correspondingly be reduced. Other mechanical structure associated with the housing in which the electronic circuitry is housed correspondingly can also be of reduced dimensions.
Reduction in dimensions of the housing, in a particular direction, can be reduced by housing the electronic circuitry in housing portions that can be folded over, one portion upon another. And, certain ergonometric advantages are also provided to the electronic devices by housing the electronic circuitry thereof in separate housing portions.
For instance, a mobile station typically includes a telephonic keypad having a plurality of actuation keys, each permitting actuation thereof by a user. Actuation of a selected key, or keys, of the actuation keypad permits, for instance, a user to initiate a call that is to be originated at the mobile station. Actuation of an actuation key also accepts a call, originated elsewhere, that is terminated at the mobile station. Through appropriate placement of the actuation keys of the telephonic keypad, the housing portions can be caused to be folded over in a manner such that one housing portion covers the telephonic keypad when the mobile station is not to be in use. The housing portion that is folded-over upon the housing portion at which the telephonic keys are positioned provides a protective cover of the telephonic keypad, preventing the actuation keys from being inadvertently actuated.
Various constructions of mobile stations, as well as other consumer electronic devices, include visual displays for displaying data in visual form. For instance, a streaming video service, such as pursuant to effectuation of a multi-media communication service, is displayed upon a visual display. Positioning of the visual display at a housing portion of the mobile station, or other consumer electronic device, that permits movement relative to another housing portion of the device, facilitates user viewing of the visual display. A conventional, camcorder display device, for instance, is positioned at a housing portion separate from, but connected to, a housing portion that contains other circuitry of the camcorder. Rotational movement of the housing portion containing the display facilitates user viewing of the display during recording, playback, or other operation of the camcorder.
Various hinge, and other connector, assemblies have been developed and are regularly utilized in consumer electronic devices, as well as other devices, to permit the relative movement of the separate housing portions of the device. Such assemblies must be of dimensions appropriate for the devices at which such assemblies are used. That is to say, as the packages in which the devices are housed are increasingly miniaturized, the hinge, or other connector, assemblies, must correspondingly be of reduced dimensions. And, when separate electronic circuit portions are positioned in the separate housing portions, a manner must be provided by which electrically to interconnect the electronic circuitry portions housed at the separate housing portions.
Existing hinge assemblies, used to interconnect separate housing portions of a portable, consumer electronic device, such as a portable mobile station, generally provide for limited rotational movement about a single axis of rotation.
It would be advantageous to provide an assembly that permits selected movement of the separate housing portions of the device about more than one axis of rotation while still permitting separate electronic circuitry portions embodied at the separate housing portions to remain in electrical connection, irrespective of the relative positioning of the housing parts as well as during movement of the housing portions.
It is in light of this background information relating to hinge, and other connector, assemblies for electronic devices that the significant improvements of the present invention have evolved.